The Resort.
The Thomas’s may not be traveling the world this summer but we are enjoying extended vacationing at the private Thomas Resort in NW Arkansas. This is a working resort and there is always much to do.
Debby has been keeping busy in her designer garden. A walkway through the roses has been created using pea gravel and memory stones of special people in her life. Colorful roses and a variety of colorful flowers makes her garden a special place for the senses. A birdbath with a floating solar powered fountain provides a unique option for bathing birds. A white porch swing with its own unique frame provides a relaxing place to stop and smell the roses. The “U” shaped arbor over the sidewalk alongside the garden will someday be covered in climbing roses. It is still in progress. Debby has dozens of pots with a myriad of flowers and ferns. Young plants fill the flower beds,waiting to grow up and fill in the space.
I am busy growing my vegetable garden, battling invasive weeds and tenacious Bermuda grass, in whose territory I carved out this piece of garden. I should have installed the rabbit fence before planting my baby plants that I started from seed. The rabbits especially loved my two dozen tomato plants, half my sweet corn, watermelon, cantaloupe and cucumbers. Note to self: “Never plant your corn before you plant your rabbit fence”!
I am hoping to have a good return on my investment, however. The potatoes are looking healthy and currently blooming. Half my remaining sweet corn looks good. I may even get enough to have the Pinkerton’s over for dinner! I bought more tomatoes and are half the size they should be at this stage. Cucumbers are coming along. Two rows of strawberries never survived. Okra is about seven inches high. One carrot survived. Onions look good. Squash is coming along. I might get enough to make a nice salad someday.
I have two varieties of Blueberries. I bought four plants this Spring. The plants are only 14” high but I see 4 or 5 berries already! Almost enough for a pie!
My 3 two-year old Concord grape vines are loaded this year! The birds and I are very optimistic!
My two apple trees are apparently dwarfed due to the hard freeze two years ago. I bought six Heritage fruit trees from Trees of Antiquity in California. As it turned out, T of A replaced two trees because they never leafed out or had any sign of life. The two cherry trees had a spark of life and produced a couple of leaves but they succumbed to a slow death over the summer. I reported this to aTA but because they had some life in them, they would not replace them under warranty. The two apple trees are stumped and look damaged. They do have leaves but appear to be unhealthy.
Trees of Antiquity gave me credit for the two peach trees so I reordered thus Spring. As an option ordered one peach and one nectarine tree as they can be cross pollinated. I am very pleased to say these two trees are outgrowing the others by leaps and bounds! They look extremely healthy this first year of growth. I have not replaced the two cherries yet. Still thinking about it.
I still mow my own 1-acre lawn. I like my new John Deere riding lawn mower. It’s the only thing they let me drive!
We love our swimming pool. It is a refreshing place to cool on a hot day! It’s like lounging around the pool at a resort!
Except for the hard work, it’s like an endless vacation!
